9. Pension Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefits

Pension Benefit Plans

The Company has defined benefit pension plans covering a substantial number of employees located in the United States and several other non-U.S. jurisdictions. Benefits generally are based on compensation for salaried employees and on length of service for hourly employees. The Company’s policy is to fund pension plans such that sufficient assets will be available to meet future benefit requirements. The Company’s defined benefit pension plans use a December 31 measurement date. The following tables relate to the Company’s principal defined benefit pension plans.

The changes in the pension benefit obligations for the year are as follows:


	U.S.				Non-U.S.
	2015		2014		2015		2014
Obligations at beginning of year	$	2,428	$	2,275	$	1,311	$	1,866
Change in benefit obligations:
Service cost		24		22		15		23
Interest cost		96		105		44		69
Actuarial (gain) loss, including the effect of change in discount rates		(107)		264		(9)		131
Curtailment, settlement, and plan amendment				(56)				(567)
Acquisitions						37
Participant contributions						1		5
Benefit payments		(252)		(182)		(58)		(91)
Other		1
Foreign currency translation						(131)		(125)
Net change in benefit obligations		(238)		153		(101)		(555)
Obligations at end of year	$	2,190	$	2,428	$	1,210	$	1,311

The changes in the fair value of the pension plans’ assets for the year are as follows:


	U.S.				Non-U.S.
	2015		2014		2015		2014
Fair value at beginning of year	$	2,190	$	2,273	$	1,094	$	1,578
Change in fair value:
Actual gain (loss) on plan assets		(32)		155		42		188
Benefit payments		(252)		(182)		(58)		(91)
Employer contributions		2				15		28
Participant contributions						1		5
Settlements				(56)				(519)
Acquisitions						22
Foreign currency translation						(104)		(94)
Other		1						(1)
Net change in fair value of assets		(281)		(83)		(82)		(484)
Fair value at end of year	$	1,909	$	2,190	$	1,012	$	1,094

The Company recognizes the funded status of each pension benefit plan on the balance sheet. The funded status of each plan is measured as the difference between the fair value of plan assets and actuarially calculated benefit obligations as of the balance sheet date. Actuarial gains and losses are accumulated in Other Comprehensive Income and the portion of each plan that exceeds 10% of the greater of that plan’s assets or projected benefit obligation is amortized to income on a straight-line basis over the average remaining service period of employees still accruing benefits or the expected life of participants not accruing benefits if all, or almost all, of the plan’s participants are no longer accruing benefits.

The funded status of the pension plans at year end is as follows:


	U.S.				Non-U.S.
	2015		2014		2015		2014
Plan assets at fair value	$	1,909	$	2,190	$	1,012	$	1,094
Projected benefit obligations		2,190		2,428		1,210		1,311
Plan assets less than projected benefit obligations		(281)		(238)		(198)		(217)
Items not yet recognized in pension expense:
Actuarial loss		1,145		1,123		320		349
Prior service cost (credit)		2		2		(1)
		1,147		1,125		319		349
Net amount recognized	$	866	$	887	$	121	$	132

The net amount recognized is included in the Consolidated Balance Sheets at December 31, 2015 and 2014 as follows:


	U.S.				Non-U.S.
	2015		2014		2015		2014
Pension assets	$	—	$	—	$	32	$	22
Current pension liability, included with Other accrued liabilities		(1)		(3)		(6)		(9)
Pension benefits		(280)		(235)		(224)		(230)
Accumulated other comprehensive loss		1,147		1,125		319		349
Net amount recognized	$	866	$	887	$	121	$	132

The following changes in plan assets and benefit obligations were recognized in accumulated other comprehensive income at December 31, 2015 and 2014 as follows (amounts are pretax):


	U.S.				Non-U.S.
	2015		2014		2015		2014
Current year actuarial (gain) loss	$	95	$	285	$	15	$	(23)
Amortization of actuarial loss		(74)		(68)		(15)		(20)
Amortization of prior service credit								2
Curtailment and plan amendment								22
Settlement				(30)				(64)
		21		187		—		(83)
Translation						(31)		(32)
	$	21	$	187	$	(31)	$	(115)

The accumulated benefit obligation for all defined benefit pension plans was $3,306 million and $3,627 million at December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively.

The components of the net pension expense for the year are as follows:


	U.S.						Non-U.S.
	2015		2014		2013		2015		2014		2013
Service cost	$	24	$	22	$	27	$	15	$	23	$	33
Interest cost		96		105		106		44		69		72
Expected asset return		(170)		(176)		(183)		(67)		(86)		(91)
Amortization:
Actuarial loss		74		68		110		15		18		28
Prior service credit												(1)
Net amortization		74		68		110		15		18		27
Net expense	$	24	$	19	$	60	$	7	$	24	$	41

In 2014, the Company amended its salary pension plan in North America to freeze future pension benefits effective January 1, 2016. This action required an obligation remeasurement for the curtailment of benefits, which resulted in a reduction of the Company’s pension expense.

Also in 2014, the Company settled a portion of the U.S. Salary Pension Plan pension obligation, which resulted in a settlement charge of $30 million and, in 2013, $8 million of special termination benefits were recorded in discontinued operations. On October 1, 2014, the Company settled the liability associated with its pension plan in the Netherlands, resulting in a settlement charge of approximately $35 million in the fourth quarter of 2014. Non-U.S. pension expense excludes $3 million and $6 million of pension settlement costs that were recorded in restructuring expense in 2014 and 2013, respectively. The table above excludes these charges.

Amounts that are expected to be amortized from accumulated other comprehensive income into net pension expense during 2016:


	U.S.		Non-U.S.
Amortization:
Actuarial loss	$	62	$	13
Prior service cost		1
Net amortization	$	63	$	13

The following information is for plans with projected and accumulated benefit obligations in excess of the fair value of plan assets at year end:


	Projected Benefit Obligation Exceeds								Accumulated Benefit Obligation Exceeds
	the Fair Value of Plan Assets								the Fair Value of Plan Assets
	U.S.				Non-U.S.				U.S.				Non-U.S.
	2015		2014		2015		2014		2015		2014		2015		2014
Projected benefit obligations	$	2,190	$	2,428	$	876	$	1,049	$	2,190	$	2,428	$	876	$	1,049
Accumulated benefit obligation		2,160		2,392		850		1,023		2,160		2,392		850		1,023
Fair value of plan assets		1,909		2,190		645		810		1,909		2,190		645		810

The weighted average assumptions used to determine benefit obligations are as follows:


	U.S.				Non-U.S.
	2015		2014		2015		2014
Discount rate	4.43	%	4.05	%	3.82	%	3.65	%
Rate of compensation increase	2.97	%	2.96	%	2.84	%	2.89	%

The weighted average assumptions used to determine net periodic pension costs are as follows:


	U.S.						Non-U.S.
	2015		2014		2013		2015		2014		2013
Discount rate	4.05	%	4.81	%	4.11	%	3.65	%	4.14	%	3.89	%
Rate of compensation increase	2.96	%	2.97	%	2.97	%	2.89	%	3.31	%	3.08	%
Expected long-term rate of return on assets	8.00	%	8.00	%	8.00	%	7.21	%	7.23	%	6.34	%

Future benefits are assumed to increase in a manner consistent with past experience of the plans, which, to the extent benefits are based on compensation, includes assumed salary increases as presented above.

For 2015, the Company’s weighted average expected long-term rate of return on assets was 8.0% for the U.S. plans and 7.21% for the non-U.S. plans. In developing this assumption, the Company evaluated input from its third party pension plan asset consultants, including their review of asset class return expectations and long-term inflation assumptions. The Company also considered its historical 10-year average return (through December 31, 2014), which was in line with the expected long-term rate of return assumption for 2015.

It is the Company’s policy to invest pension plan assets in a diversified portfolio consisting of an array of asset classes within established target asset allocation ranges. The investment risk of the assets is limited by appropriate diversification both within and between asset classes. The assets for the U.S. plans are maintained in a group trust. The U.S. plans hold no individual assets other than the investment in the group trust. The assets of the group trust and the Company’s non-U.S. plans are primarily invested in a broad mix of domestic and international equities, domestic and international bonds, and real estate, subject to the target asset allocation ranges. The assets are managed with a view to ensuring that sufficient liquidity will be available to meet expected cash flow requirements.

The investment valuation policy of the Company is to value investments at fair value. All investments are valued at their respective net asset values. Equity securities for which market quotations are readily available are valued at the last reported sales price on their principal exchange on valuation date or official close for certain markets. Fixed income investments are valued by an independent pricing service. Investments in registered investment companies or collective pooled funds are valued at their respective net asset values. Short-term investments are stated at amortized cost, which approximates fair value. The fair value of real estate is determined by periodic appraisals.

The Company’s U.S. pension plan assets held in the group trust are classified as Level 2 assets in the fair value hierarchy. The total U.S. plan assets amounted to $1,909 million and $2,190 million as of December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively. In 2015, the U.S. plan assets consisted of approximately 62% equity securities, 30% debt securities, and 8% real estate. The following table sets forth by level, within the fair value hierarchy, the Company’s non-U.S. pension plan assets at fair value as of December 31, 2015 and 2014:


	2015						2014						Target
	Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Allocation
Cash and cash equivalents	$	30	$	—	$	—	$	14	$	—	$	—
Equity securities		278		176				343		200			45	-	55	%
Debt securities		329		111				364		119		2	40	-	50	%
Real estate				53		5				30		3	0	-	10	%
Other				24		6				19			0	-	10	%
Total assets at fair value	$	637	$	364	$	11	$	721	$	368	$	5

The following is a reconciliation of the Company’s pension plan assets recorded at fair value using significant unobservable inputs (Level 3):


	2015		2014
Beginning balance	$	5	$	8
Net increase (decrease)		6		(3)
Ending balance	$	11	$	5

The net increase (decrease) in the fair value of the Company’s Level 3 pension plan assets is primarily due to purchases and sales of unlisted real estate funds. The change in the fair value of Level 3 pension plan assets due to actual return on those assets was immaterial in 2015.

In order to maintain minimum funding requirements, the Company is required to make contributions to its defined benefit pension plans of $25 million in 2016.

The following estimated future benefit payments, which reflect expected future service, as appropriate, are expected to be paid in the years indicated:


Year(s)	U.S.		Non-U.S.
2016	$	171	$	59
2017		175		55
2018		163		56
2019		162		58
2020		160		60
2021-2025		744		331

The Company also sponsors several defined contribution plans for all salaried and hourly U.S. employees, and employees in Canada, the U.K., The Netherlands and Australia. Participation is voluntary and participants’ contributions are based on their compensation. The Company matches contributions of participants, up to various limits, in substantially all plans. Company contributions to these plans amounted to $29 million in 2015, $19 million in 2014, and $16 million in 2013.

Postretirement Benefits Other Than Pensions

The Company provides retiree health care and life insurance benefits covering certain U.S. salaried and hourly employees, and substantially all employees in Canada. Benefits provided by the Company for hourly retirees are determined by collective bargaining. Employees are generally eligible for benefits upon retirement and completion of a specified number of years of creditable service. The Company uses a December 31 measurement date to measure its postretirement benefit obligations.

The changes in the postretirement benefit obligations for the year are as follows:


	U.S.				Non-U.S.
	2015		2014		2015		2014
Obligations at beginning of year	$	111	$	111	$	81	$	90
Change in benefit obligations:
Service cost						1		1
Interest cost		4		5		3		4
Actuarial (gain) loss, including the effect of changing discount rates		(10)		7		(1)		(2)
Benefit payments		(8)		(12)		(3)		(3)
Foreign currency translation						(13)		(7)
Other								(2)
Net change in benefit obligations		(14)		—		(13)		(9)
Obligations at end of year	$	97	$	111	$	68	$	81

The funded status of the postretirement benefit plans at year end is as follows:


	U.S.				Non-U.S.
	2015		2014		2015		2014
Postretirement benefit obligations	$	(97)	$	(111)	$	(68)	$	(81)
Items not yet recognized in net postretirement benefit cost:
Actuarial loss		23		35		(3)		(3)
Prior service credit		(38)		(46)
		(15)		(11)		(3)		(3)
Net amount recognized	$	(112)	$	(122)	$	(71)	$	(84)

The net amount recognized is included in the Consolidated Balance Sheets at December 31, 2015 and 2014 as follows:


	U.S.				Non-U.S.
	2015		2014		2015		2014
Current nonpension postretirement benefit, included with Other accrued liabilities	$	(8)	$	(11)	$	(2)	$	(3)
Nonpension postretirement benefits		(89)		(100)		(66)		(78)
Accumulated other comprehensive loss		(15)		(11)		(3)		(3)
Net amount recognized	$	(112)	$	(122)	$	(71)	$	(84)

The following changes in benefit obligations were recognized in accumulated other comprehensive income at December 31, 2015 and 2014 as follows (amounts are pretax):


	U.S.				Non-U.S.
	2015		2014		2015		2014
Current year actuarial (gain) loss	$	(10)	$	7	$	—	$	(2)
Amortization of actuarial loss		(2)		(2)
Amortization of prior service credit		8		8
Other adjustments								1
	$	(4)	$	13	$	—	$	(1)

The components of the net postretirement benefit cost for the year are as follows:


	U.S.						Non-U.S.
	2015		2014		2013		2015		2014		2013
Service cost	$	—	$	—	$	1	$	1	$	1	$	1
Interest cost		4		5		5		3		4		4
Curtailment gain						(5)
Amortization:
Actuarial loss		2		2		3
Prior service credit		(8)		(8)		(7)
Net amortization		(6)		(6)		(4)		—		—		—
Net postretirement benefit (income) cost	$	(2)	$	(1)	$	(3)	$	4	$	5	$	5

Amounts that are expected to be amortized from accumulated other comprehensive income into net postretirement benefit cost during 2016:


	U.S.		Non-U.S.
Amortization:
Actuarial loss	$	2	$	—
Prior service credit		(8)
Net amortization	$	(6)	$	—

Amortization included in net postretirement benefit cost is based on the average remaining service of employees. The weighted average discount rates used to determine the accumulated postretirement benefit obligation and net postretirement benefit cost are as follows:


	U.S.						Non-U.S.
	2015		2014		2013		2015		2014		2013
Accumulated postretirement benefit obligation	4.35	%	4.00	%	4.63	%	3.80	%	3.75	%	4.47	%
Net postretirement benefit cost	3.99	%	4.63	%	4.04	%	3.75	%	4.47	%	3.89	%

The weighted average assumed health care cost trend rates at December 31 are as follows:


	U.S.				Non-U.S.
	2015		2014		2015		2014
Health care cost trend rate assumed for next year	6.60	%	7.00	%	5.00	%	5.00	%
Rate to which the cost trend rate is assumed to decline (ultimate trend rate)	5.00	%	5.00	%	5.00	%	5.00	%
Year that the rate reaches the ultimate trend rate	2024		2024		2015		2014

Assumed health care cost trend rates affect the amounts reported for the postretirement benefit plans. A one-percentage-point change in assumed health care cost trend rates would have the following effects:


	U.S.				Non-U.S.
	1-Percentage-Point				1-Percentage-Point
	Increase		Decrease		Increase		Decrease
Effect on total of service and interest cost	$	—	$	—	$	1	$	(1)
Effect on accumulated postretirement benefit obligations		4		(3)		11		(9)

Amortization included in net postretirement benefit cost is based on the average remaining service of employees.

The following estimated future benefit payments, which reflect expected future service, as appropriate, are expected to be paid in the years indicated:


Year(s)	U.S.		Non-U.S.
2016	$	8	$	3
2017		8		3
2018		8		3
2019		8		3
2020		8		3
2021 - 2025		33		16

Other U.S. hourly retirees receive health and life insurance benefits from a multi-employer trust established by collective bargaining. Payments to the trust as required by the bargaining agreements are based upon specified amounts per hour worked and were $6 million in 2015, $6 million in 2014 and $6 million in 2013. Postretirement health and life benefits for retirees of foreign subsidiaries are generally provided through the national health care programs of the countries in which the subsidiaries are located.